Part IV: Creating and Using Libraries
FIGURE 19.11
Inserting four screws at once using ToolboxPre-select these four edgesNote
Working with the length of the fasteners is not a clean operation in Smart Components. The length is depen-
dent on the thickness of the plate, which is not controlled by the Smart Fastener, nor can the Smart Fastener
account for it, except through mates. (Remember that auto-sizing is driven only by a diameter.) Later in this
chapter, you will see how the washers and nuts are put in place on the underside of the plate, but the screw
length cannot be automatically calculated (unless the screw itself had an in-context relation to the nut). n- Place washers and nuts on the screws on the backside of the plate.
- When the shaft diameter changes, the hole in the clamp changes to match (within
the ranges that will be established). As the clamp becomes bigger, bigger screws are
needed to secure the clamp and the holes grow further apart. Bigger screws mean addi-
tional configurations for the screw, washer, and nut parts. Remember that the configura-
tions do not necessarily exist. I would not count on a Smart Component working if this
meant that Toolbox had to create new configurations.
To create this example, I have pre-populated the Toolbox parts with all the configurations
needed for the range of sizes involved with this Smart Component. When you make your
own Smart Components, you will have to do the same thing if you intend to use auto-siz-
ing with Toolbox parts. The difficulty here is that the configurations include the diameter
size of the screw as well as the length, which is unknown until you place the part.
All you have to worry about in this step is to make sure that the configurations are avail-
able and that the screws are placed properly.
- Up to this step, you have just assembled the parts as if this were the only time you
were going to do it. The automation of the process comes next. Figure 19.12 shows the
training assembly to this point. The shaft and plate are shown in wireframe because they
are external to the Smart Component.